Google Docs Viewer Now Support Even More File Types

Article by George Norman (Cybersecurity Editor)

on 23 Feb 2011

If someone sends you a PDF file for example via Gmail, you don’t have to download that file and view it using Adobe Reader; you don’t have to install Adobe Reader either, assuming of course that you don’t have the PDF reader installed on your computer. You can easily view that file using Google Docs Viewer.

Instead of clicking the download link, click the View link in Gmail and Google Docs Viewer will open the file. You will be able to view the file without leaving the browser, which to my mind, is quite convenient.

“The Google Docs Viewer is used by millions of people every day to quickly view PDFs, Microsoft Word documents and PowerPoint presentations online. Not only is viewing files in your browser far more secure than downloading and opening them locally, but it also saves time and doesn’t clutter up your hard-drive with unwanted files,” explained Anil Sabharwal, Product Manager with Google.

But that isn’t exactly news. I’m sure you already knew that you can conveniently view PDF files in Gmail with Google Docs Viewer. The news is that the aforementioned Google Docs Viewer now supports even more files. Support for 12 new file types has been recently added. The following 12 file types:
  • .XLS and .XLSX (Microsoft Excel)
  • .PPTX (Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 / 2010)
  • .PAGES (Apple Pages)
  • .AI (Adobe Illustrator)
  • .PSD (Adobe Photoshop)
  • .DXF (Autodesk AutoCad)
  • .SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics)
  • .EPS and .PS (PostScript)
  • .TTF (TrueType)
  • .XPS (XML Paper Specification)

From now on, when someone mails you an .PSD file or an .AI file, you don’t have to download it to be able to see it. You can view it directly within Gmail. To do so, as mentioned above, you need only click the View link. Once you do Google Docs Viewer will present you with the file that’s been mailed to you.


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